Ammanford postman tried to smuggle 36 stolen packets

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Amman ... z2acWXYgOY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A POSTMAN was caught trying to smuggle 36 stolen packets of mail out of the Swansea Mail Centre.

During their investigations, Royal Mail found stolen items including greeting cards, gifts and an iPhone in the home of their now-former employee Michael Norris.

He had been employed by Royal Mail for nine years and six months before he was caught red-handed with 36 items in his pocket as he tried to leave the Swansea Mail Centre.

He was then suspended from his post.

One of his duties, Swansea Magistrates' Court heard, was for him to change the dyes on the postal packet machine at the beginning and end of the day.

Norris, aged 56, came under suspicion when he was seen entering the hand stamping room at the Swansea depot several times a day.

When investigators confronted him on February 11, they found 36 different packets hidden on his body.

The packets, which were greetings cards and some which were Recorded Delivery items, were clearly visible on his body, the court heard.

Searched

Investigators from Royal Mail then visited his home at Hendre Road, Tycroes, Ammanford, and searched it. Inside they found 51 packets including 29 greetings cards.

They also found an iPhone which had been sent Recorded Delivery and a kilt pin as well as a Seiko Kinetic watch, an Elvis watch and a Swarvoski watch. Norris admitted eight offences of theft by employee.

The offences took place between May 2012 and February 2013.

Investigators managed to link missing items with postcodes to work out the values of items he had taken.

Their work cost more than £3,000 and magistrates were asked to consider ordering Norris to pay a contribution towards them.

A total of £602 has been taken from his pension fund to offer compensation to those who were affected.


Trust

Norris's solicitor Craig Harding said the items, with the exception of the iPhone were of a "relatively low value".

"Compensation has been made on a voluntary basis and all the items have been recovered in his house," he added. But he said he accepted it was a significant breach of trust.

Magistrates had already been told his conduct was a "double breach of trust" by Norris as both an employee but also a postman to the wider public.

Magistrates said they did not feel their sentencing powers were sufficient and told Norris he will have to be sentenced by a crown court judge.

He will appear at Swansea Crown Court in September.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Norris's solicitor Craig Harding said the items, with the exception of the iPhone were of a "relatively low value".

Oh, well that makes it alright then...

[stokes11eg]

Another one bites the dust. No sympathy.

[DB1100]

You can't blame him,he's only following our leaders shining example,1 pockets hundreds of thousands of pounds and get's let off the other one goes to court,funny old world

[k979aaa]

While I condemn his actions in the strongest terms I would say that corporate theft is a far bigger problem yet he gets punished yet she gets a pat on the back and don't do it again. Something is seriously wrong in this country!